Famous Ye Olde Curiosity Shop burglarized

The distinctive Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on Pier 54 on Seattle’s Elliott Bay waterfront is now missing some rare treasures after it was broken into early Wednesday morning.

The museum and retail shop, established in 1899 and famous for its shrunken heads and real mummies, has recovered some items, but still seeks the return of some irreplaceable curios.

The burglar tried to kick in the front door Wednesday morning, but after failing to do so, broke through a display window on the north side of the building and took 12 items, according to accounts from police reports and the store’s general manager.

Though the missing curios are small, the store considers them invaluable, General Manager Trish Wilson said.

Wilson declined to describe the missing items in detail, but offered an example of an item made from elephant ivory, which is now illegal to acquire and is no longer allowed to be traded.

Three items have since been recovered, some found along the waterfront near the store, Wilson said.

She guesses that whomever took the curios attempted to sell them soon after the break-in.

One man unwittingly tried to sell a stolen curio back to the store, Wilson said. The man claimed he acquired the item from another man and thought the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop would be interested in it.

The shop asked on its Facebook page for the public’s aid in tracking down the rest of the stolen curios, noting that anyone seeking to help should contact the store.